The Mistletoe Tell
by Mikus Proud
Summary: Keeping their relationship a secret from their closest friends was getting more complicated for Hermione and Sirius. But they weren't expecting to both be spending Christmas at the Potters. A muggle-AU one-shot and a follow-up to the one-shot The Blind Date. A fluffy Christmastime story.


**A/N:** I was inspired to write something Christmas-y, but the stories that I'm working on didn't really provide the opportunity to write something for the season. So, I came up with this! It's a muggle-AU one-shot, and a follow-up to a one-shot that I posted awhile back, "The Blind Date." It's not completely necessary that you read that first, but it may be helpful so you get the full back story as to what is going on here.

This is meant to just be a fun little Christmastime story. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks, as always, goes to my friend and beta, Ms. K. Everdeen!

 **Disclaimer:** I wish I could live in this world, but I unfortunately don't own any of it.

* * *

 **The Mistletoe Tell**

Hermione rolled her eyes at her best friend. Why, at the tender age of eleven, had she seen fit to saddle herself with such an annoying best friend? Surely she hadn't been in any frame of mind at that age to be making lifelong commitments? Yet here she was.

"Harry, honestly, why can't you just let this go?! You promised me you would!"

"I just don't get it!" Harry exclaimed, "You two are beyond perfect for each other! How could your date have possibly been that bad?!"

Hermione took a sip of her wine to hide her smile. Once she had regained her composure, she set her glass down with a huff, "It wasn't bad, per se. We just didn't hit it off. So, would you please drop it? I'm sick of hearing you complain."

"Fine. I need to tell my parents whether you are coming for Christmas."

She gave him a sharp look, to which he held up his hands in surrender, "Sirius won't be there, promise. He's spending Christmas with his brother's family. You won't see him."

"Then please tell your parents I would love to join you and thank them for the invitation."

Her own parents had decided months ago to take a Christmas trip to Switzerland. They had invited her to go as well, but she hadn't wanted to take the time off work. She had been glad when Harry mentioned last week that his parents wanted her to join them for Christmas. She missed her parents this time of year more than she thought she would. Even though she was in her mid-twenties and had been on her own for a number of years, she had never spent the holidays without them. But Harry's parents had always been like a surrogate family to her, so she was excited to be able to spend Christmas day with people she loved.

As their discussion moved on to Harry's fraught, on-again, off-again relationship with his (currently on-again) girlfriend, Hermione was glad when the topic of her supposedly failed blind date with Harry's godfather, Sirius, didn't come up again.

* * *

When she arrived home, she was just hanging up her coat when her phone pinged. She smiled, knowing who it would be. She slid her phone out of her bag and went to sit on the sofa, wrapping the throw around her shoulders to ward off the chill of the old building her flat was in.

 _How was dinner? Harry at it again?_

She laughed softly and typed back.

 _Of course. When isn't he? Seems he can't accept that we aren't the perfect couple._

A few moments later, her heart warmed at his reply.

 _Who can blame him? He's right._

Deciding she would rather hear his voice, she hit the call button. He answered after the first ring, "Hey."

"Hey yourself. Just because he's right doesn't mean he isn't annoying."

Sirius chuckled, "You know, maybe he wouldn't be as annoying if he knew he was right."

Hermione scoffed, "I'm confident that would have the opposite effect and he would be worse!"

Sirius sighed at her response, and she quickly added, "I know we should tell them. And we will, soon. I was just hoping to make it through Christmas at the Potters' drama free. Can we just wait that long?"

"Yes," he murmured, "I just don't like lying anymore. It was different at the beginning when we weren't sure where this was going. But now we're sure of each other."

Her heart clenched at his words, and she smiled, "Yes. There's no reason to keep us secret anymore. Even if Harry will be a smug bastard about it."

Sirius laughed, "I guess that's something we'll just have to deal with."

Hermione didn't think that would be as easy as it sounded. When Harry had set her up on a blind date with his godfather almost three months ago, she had hated the idea. But meeting Sirius had changed her mind. Smart, funny, caring, and sexy as hell, he had completely obliterated all her objections.

When they had gone on their second date a few nights later, they had decided to keep things between them quiet. They wanted to get to know each other without interference from Harry or his parents, who were Sirius' closest friends. But that had been months ago now. She and Sirius were nearly inseparable now, seeing each other every chance they had. She would be lying if she said she hadn't fallen for him, though she hadn't admitted that to him out loud. He hadn't either, though she was reasonably confident he felt the same. And she knew his guilt over keeping their relationship secret was beginning to eat away at him.

And though she knew Harry would support their relationship, after he got over his anger over not being told, she did worry about his parents. Sirius didn't believe they would object, but if they did, she knew he valued their opinions and would take their objections to heart. She didn't like to think what that would mean for them as a couple.

It was time to come clean. After Christmas.

* * *

She was running late. She had forgotten the bottle of wine she had bought for the evening, only realizing it when she had finally succeeded in hailing a taxi. After running up three flights of stairs and back down to the street only to find the taxi she had ask to wait was gone, she had to walk three blocks to find another available ride. She only realized when she was halfway to the Potters' that she had forgotten her phone on her counter.

The Potters lived in a beautiful townhouse in the outskirts of London. It was an old brick building, and Hermione had loved it since the first time she had visited when she was eleven years old.

When she had met Harry at school, they were both their parent's only child, so it was easy to fall into a friendship that quickly felt like a brother/sister bond. They were both easily accepted into the other's family, and Hermione loved Harry's parents almost as much as her own. But despite both sets of parents (mostly) unspoken wishes, the two friends never had any romantic feelings for each other. They loved each other like siblings and so it would always be.

Though Hermione wasn't always crazy about the women he dated, she wanted Harry to be happy, so she didn't interfere. Harry did not hold to the same rule, interfering in her love life, or often lack thereof, consistently throughout the years. Hence her current dilemma.

But as she knocked on the door, she put Sirius from her mind, determined to just enjoy the evening.

The door opened to reveal James Potter, a slightly taller, less wiry, twenty-year older version of Harry.

"Hermione! Come in!"

She met Harry's dad's smile as she stepped into his arms for a hug.

"Happy Christmas," she said in greeting.

"Happy Christmas! We're so glad you could make it," James took her coat and hung it up for her, then took the wine with a thank you. "Harry's in the kitchen with Lil, but before you join them, I'd like you to meet someone."

Confused by the statement—Harry had told her she was the only guest—she followed James down the hallway to the sitting room, where she could hear Christmas carols playing on the radio. As soon as she stepped through the doorway, she froze.

James' voice cut through her shock, "This is Sirius, my best mate! Sirius, this is Harry's best mate, Hermione."

She was unable to control her reaction. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and her cheeks immediately flamed in flustered embarrassment. Her brain fumbled around for something to say, but all she could do was gape at Sirius, standing there in his green sweater and black pants, looking gorgeous and completely unphased. But of course he would be, he knew she was coming!

"What's wrong?" James asked her, concerned for her sanity, no doubt.

"I think she's just surprised to see me," Sirius answered for her when it became clear she had no words.

"Have you two met? I didn't know that."

"Yes, we've...met."

"Yes!" Hermione squeaked out suddenly, causing both men to snap their heads to look at her, "Harry...introduced us. He told me you wouldn't be here. I was just surprised."

She felt mortified by her completely ungraceful come back, but James just shrugged, clearly unconcerned, "Well, anyway, why don't you go into the kitchen to see Harry and Lily, hmm?"

She practically ran from the room, and she felt Sirius' eyes on her the whole way.

When she reached the kitchen, Harry was standing at the counter next to his mother, mashing potatoes. He turned at the sound of her footsteps, smile falling from his face at the sight of her glare.

"Happy Christmas Hermione," he said, voice uncertain.

Lily turned to her with a smile, wiping her hands on the dish towel thrown haphazardly over her shoulder. Hermione immediately wiped the glare from her face and smiled back, hugging her surrogate mum hello as Lily wished her a happy Christmas.

"Happy Christmas!" Hermione exclaimed, but as soon as Lily turned back to the counter, Hermione's glare returned, "Please let me know how I can help, but first I need to have a quick word with your son."

Before Harry could protest, Hermione had him by the arm and dragged him from the room, potato masher still in hand.

As soon as they were in the relative privacy of the hallway, Harry whispered urgently, "I swear, I had no idea he would be here! I was just as surprised as you when he showed up!"

"The only reason I agreed to come was because you promised me he wouldn't be here!" Hermione whisper-shouted before taking a deep breath to calm herself, "Now my Christmas is going to be all awkward!"

Which was true, but not for the reason Harry would think.

"I'm sorry! Look, it'll be fine. Just make sure to sit next to me at dinner. I'm sure he won't make it weird."

"Argh! Fine. But do not try to play matchmaker again Harry Potter!" She emphasized this with a strong poke to his chest.

He held up his hands in surrender, masher nearly flinging potato at her. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, "Let's go help your mum."

* * *

Dinner was just as awkward as Hermione would have guessed. She had been hoping to get a private word with Sirius before they all sat down, but he stayed holed up with James until Lily called them to the dining table. By the time Hermione reached the table, Sirius had already chosen a seat, the one she was supposed to sit at next to Harry, with James and Lily on either end. Faced with having to sit next to Sirius or across from him, she decided across was the safer option. Just in case he got it in his head to do anything inappropriate under the tablecloth.

Conversation flowed easily between the Potters and Sirius, but Hermione felt uncomfortable and only spoke in response to a question sent her way. Sirius hadn't looked directly at her once, which simultaneously annoyed her and pleased her that he was trying not to give anything away.

Harry asked why Sirius' plans had changed. He said his sister-in-law and nephew had both come down with a stomach bug that morning.

"So, of course I insisted he come over," James said matter-of-factly, "I couldn't have him sitting all alone on Christmas, could I?"

"I really wasn't fishing for an invite," Sirius said, meeting her eye for the first time, "I just rang to say happy Christmas."

"Of course you had to come!" Lily said, "We're happy to have you."

"Hermione here seemed a bit put out at the start," James added, throwing her a smirk, "How did you say you two know each other?"

"You know each other?" Lily questioned, eyebrows raised.

Hermione immediately felt her cheeks flush again in embarrassment, "I, uhhh... I said Harry introduced us."

"Must have been recently. Sirius has only been back in London for, what, four months?"

"Six," Sirius said, voice sounding somewhat hoarse, "I think it was a few months ago now that we met."

"Yes," Hermione said slowly. She was waiting to see if Harry would chime in. He was staring resolutely at his plate however.

"Well, did you spend much time talking? Getting to know each other at all?" Hermione didn't like the gleam in James' eye. It reminder her far too much of Harry when he got an idea into his head.

"We...talked some," Sirius hedged.

"Surely Harry was able to break the ice," James continued.

Hermione contemplated how to respond. But Harry jumped in before she had a chance, "They just didn't hit it off."

Heavy silence fell for a moment before Lily asked, "What do you mean?"

"Errr," Harry responded uncomfortably.

"Harry set us up," Sirius said casually.

"What do you mean set you up? Set you up how?" Lily sounded irritated. That didn't bode well, Hermione thought.

Sirius shrugged, "Just like it sounds."

Hermione decided she definitely didn't like the look in James' eye, "You two went on a date? No wonder Hermione looked so shell shocked to see you!" His voice sounded entirely too gleeful.

"It was a blind date," Hermione added, somehow feeling that was important to acknowledge.

"Harry James Potter! You set your best friend up on a blind date with your godfather! He's old enough to be her father!" Lily's pitch had gone up a notch, causing both Harry and Hermione to cringe. She caught Sirius' eye, worried at Lily's reaction. But he just threw her a casual wink, obviously not concerned.

"I'm hardly knocking on death's door, Lil," Sirius said with a smirk.

"Oh, shut it, you!" Lily exclaimed.

"I just thought they'd make a good couple," Harry jumped in defensively, "But apparently I was wrong."

Hermione glanced around to see the Potters' reaction. Lily still looked irritated, but her irritation seemed directed only at her son. James was eyeing her with a speculative look.

"I could see that," James said after several moments.

"James!" Lily cried.

"What?! I could!" James grinned, "But if it didn't work out..."

Hermione decided now would probably be the time to come clean. She looked over at Sirius to see if he agreed, and he caught her eye and gave a little nod, so she said, "Well-"

But Lily cut her off, "Hermione, don't dignify him with a response! I'm apologizing for the men in my life. They're all boorish idiots. Let's just move on! How are your parents enjoying Switzerland?"

"Oh! Umm... They're enjoying themselves."

As she continued speaking, she looked at Sirius again, and he gave her a little shrug. Apparently now wasn't the right time to share their news after all.

* * *

After dinner was cleared and the food put away, the group went to relax in the sitting room. Hermione excused herself, citing wanting to make a call to her parents, hoping Sirius would take the hint and follow her.

After several minutes of waiting, he appeared at the end of the hall. Once he had reached her, she tugged on his hand to pull him back into the dining room so she could shut the door.

"Why didn't you warn me you were going to be here?!" She hissed at him quietly.

"I did!" He whispered back, "I texted you right after James talked me into coming."

"Argh! I forgot my phone at my flat. It doesn't matter I guess, I just felt like an idiot for the way I reacted."

Sirius laughed lowly, "It wasn't the smoothest recovery, but the rest of the evening went well I think."

"It's too bad Lily stopped me. That was the perfect opportunity to tell everyone," Hermione mused.

"There'll be another time," he murmured, suddenly stepping closer to her.

She stepped back, startled, "What are you doing?! They're right down the hall!"

He smirked at her, that sexy quirk of his lips that always made her stomach flutter. Without a word, he pointed up. Her eyes flicked up to find mistletoe hanging directly above her.

Smiling at him, she glanced over his shoulder to make sure the door was closed before winding her arms around his neck and meeting his lips. She intended it only to last a moment, but when his arms wound around her back and he buried his hand in the curls at the back of her head, she couldn't help but melt into him.

That is until she heard a loud gasp and a shout of laughter coming from the doorway. She pulled quickly away from Sirius, hands flying to her face in an attempt to cover up her reddened cheeks.

Lily and James stood there in the doorway, Lily's hand still on the knob. She was gaping at them, and James wore a grin on his face.

"It's time for dessert," Lily said faintly.

Sirius looked down at Hermione and quirked an eyebrow, "I told you another time would present itself."

She knew her face was beet red, but she managed a small smile at him, "No time like the present."

"What's going on? Why are you blocking the hallway?" Harry's voice called from out of her sightline.

"Sirius and Hermione were snogging under the mistletoe!" James called back gleefully.

"I knew it!" Harry's voice was far too excited for her liking. Hermione knew she would never hear the end of this.

"Well, now would be the time to tell you we've been dating for a few months," Sirius said casually, pulling Hermione into his side.

"I should hope so!" Lily said, the beginnings of a smile lighting her eyes, if not her lips, "That was not a causal kiss amongst acquaintances."

Hermione turned her face into Sirius' shoulder in embarrassment, but he just laughed.

"You break her heart Sirius Black, and I'll break you," Lily said with finality, and Hermione looked over and shot her a grateful smile. Lily smiled back, a real smile this time, and said, "Alright, dessert!" She turned, pushing past James.

Harry appeared at his father's shoulder, the Potter men wearing matching grins.

"What she said," James said with a vain attempt at seriousness before he followed his wife to the kitchen.

Harry stood there, grin fading, studying them both for a long moment before saying, "Don't think I'm not furious with you both for lying to me for months."

"We're sorry Harry. We just wanted to get to know each other first without you being so..." She stopped herself from saying irritating but failed to think of an alternative word to describe him.

"Enthusiastic," Sirius supplied.

"Yes! That's a good word. Can you forgive us?"

"Of course," Harry said without hesitation, and Hermione was reminded of why he was her best friend. She was starting to feel a little bad about not telling him sooner.

"Ha! I knew I was right about you two! What did I tell you?"

And with that Hermione's feeling of goodwill evaporated, and she rolled her eyes. But she pushed away from Sirius to give Harry a hug, "Yes, you were right. Let's never discuss it again."

"Yeah, sure," Harry said, laughing again before walking off toward the kitchen. She felt Sirius' arms wrap around her waist from behind and his chin rest on her shoulder.

"This is real now. No going back. Are you ready for that?"

Hermione considered his words carefully, then nodded, "Yes, very much so. Are you?"

He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I've never been more ready for anything. I love you."

Her heart swelled at his words. He had said them! She had wanted to for weeks but hesitated to be the first to do so.

She spun in his arms and pressed her lips to his. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against his, "I love you too. Happy Christmas, Sirius."

He nodded, "The first of many to come."


End file.
